Head coach Matt Eberflus of the Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears’ Thanksgiving Day loss to the Detroit Lions marked the end of the road for head coach Matt Eberflus, as multiple reports confirm that he was fired on Friday following a series of late-game blunders and an extended six-game losing streak. Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown has been named interim head coach as the Bears try to salvage their season.
The Bears were in prime position to pull off an improbable upset on Thursday, rallying late in the game to reach the Lions’ 13-yard line with less than a minute remaining. But poor clock management, compounded by a sack and questionable decision-making, ended their hopes of tying or winning the game in the final moments.
Chicago’s last-ditch effort began with Caleb Williams hitting Keenan Allen for a 12-yard completion that placed them in striking distance of a game-tying field goal or potential game-winning touchdown. However, a penalty for illegal hands to the face on guard Tevin Jenkins pushed the Bears back to the 35-yard line, making the situation more difficult. On second down, the Bears called a draw play to Williams, hoping he could gain a first down and set up a better field goal opportunity. But backup tackle Larry Borom missed his assignment, allowing Za’Darius Smith to sack Williams for a 6-yard loss.
Williams, looking for a quick adjustment, said, “It got loud, and I don’t think Larry heard the count. Once I saw Za’Darius coming free, I didn’t want to risk trying to throw the ball away in case he got a chance to get his hands on it. I took the sack and tried to get everybody lined up for the final play.”
With the clock ticking down, the confusion continued. Eberflus, in an attempt to save time for a field-goal attempt, opted not to use a timeout after the sack. He explained, “The hope was we could re-rack the play, snap it with about 18 seconds left, throw it into field-goal range, and call the timeout.” But as the clock continued to wind down and no timeout was called, the Bears’ last shot at the game slipped away.
Williams, realizing the clock was nearly out, changed the play call to a deep pass to wide receiver Rome Odunze in the end zone, but the pass fell incomplete as time expired. In hindsight, Williams said, “I knew we didn’t have time for a field goal, so I made an adjustment. I just wanted to get Rome one-on-one and try to take a shot at six.”
The Bears’ mismanagement at the end of the game ultimately sealed their fate, and the front office decided it was time for a change at the helm. Despite a young roster full of promise, Eberflus’ tenure was marred by late-game struggles and lack of execution in critical moments.
With the loss, the Bears have now dropped six straight games and sit near the bottom of the NFC standings. As interim head coach Thomas Brown takes the reins, Chicago will need to regroup and refocus in hopes of salvaging their season before the final stretch.
It’s clear, though, that the clock has run out on Matt Eberflus’ time with the Bears.
